2020 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 12 - Professions And Occupations
Article 115. Electricians
Section 12-115-107. Board powers and duties - rules - definition.

(1) (a) The board, annually in the month of July, shall elect from its membership a chair and vice-chair. The board shall meet at least annually and at such other times as it deems necessary.

(b) A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business.

(2) In addition to all other powers and duties conferred or imposed upon the board by this article 115, the board is authorized to:

1. Adopt, and from time to time revise, rules pursuant to section 12-20-204. In adoptingthe rules, the board shall be governed when appropriate by the standards in the most current edition of the national electrical code or by any modifications to the standards made by the board after a hearing is held pursuant to the provisions of article 4 of title 24. These standards are adopted as the minimum standards governing the planning, laying out, and installing or the making of additions, alterations, and repairs in the installation of wiring apparatus and equipment for electric light, heat, and power in this state. A copy of the code shall be kept in the office of the board and open to public inspection. Nothing contained in this section prohibits any city, town, county, city and county, or qualified state institution of higher education from making and enforcing any such standards that are more stringent than the minimum standards adopted by the board, and any city, town, county, city and county, or qualified state institution of higher education that adopts more stringent standards shall furnish a copy thereof to the board. The standards adopted by the board shall be prima facie evidence of minimum approved methods of construction for safety to life and property. The affirmative vote of two-thirds of all appointed members of the board is required to set any standards that are different from those set forth in the national electrical code. If requested in writing, the board shall send a copy of newly adopted standards and rules to any interested party at least thirty days before the implementation and enforcement of the standards or rules. The copies may be furnished for a fee established pursuant to section 12-20-105.

2. Register apprentices and register and renew the registration of qualified electricalcontractors and examine, license, and renew licenses of journeymen electricians, master electricians, and residential wiremen as provided in this article 115;

3. Cause the prosecution and enjoinder, in accordance with section 12-20-406, of allpersons violating this article 115 and incur necessary expenses therefor;

4. Inspect and approve or disapprove the installation of electrical wiring, renewableenergy systems, apparatus, or equipment for electric light, heat, and power according to the minimum standards in the national electrical code or as prescribed in this article 115. With respect to:

1. An inverter-based hydroelectric energy facility generating one hundred kilowatts orless, regardless of whether the facility is connected to utility or other distribution lines, an inspector shall inspect a hydroelectric energy installation in accordance with the minimum standards set forth in the edition of the national electrical code in effect on May 29, 2015; however, if a microhydro assembly manufactured for the purpose of generating electricity in a microhydro system uses an inverter that is listed and identified for interconnection service, the inspector shall deem the system's equipment compliant with section 705.4 of the edition of the national electrical code in effect on May 29, 2015. For purposes of this subsection (2)(d), a "microhydro system" means a hydroelectric generation system that generates one hundred kilowatts or less.

2. An induction-based hydroelectric energy facility generating one hundred kilowattsor less, regardless of whether the facility is connected to utility or other distribution lines, the installation of a hydroelectric energy turbine, induction generator, and control panel shall be certified:

1. To a listing standard by a field evaluation body or nationally recognized testinglaboratory; or

2. By a professional engineer, by means of signing and stamping documentation of theproject, as required in a form and manner determined by the board, indicating that the installation meets design criteria set forth in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) standard for interconnecting distributed resources with electric power systems.

5. Apply any hydroelectric energy provisions of an updated national electrical code,notwithstanding any provision in subsection (2)(d) of this section to the contrary, if the national electrical code is updated to address hydroelectric energy specifically;

6. Regulate a licensed master electrician, journeyman electrician, or residential wiremanwho, acting within his or her scope of competence, supervises a solar photovoltaic installation pursuant to section 40-2-128. On and after January 1, 2020, all photovoltaic electrical work for installations of at least three hundred kilowatts, including the interconnection of the modules, grounding of the modules, any balance of system wiring, and the customer-side point of connection to the utility grid, must be performed by a licensed master electrician, licensed journeyman electrician, licensed residential wireman, or properly supervised electrical apprentices and must comply with all applicable requirements of this article 115, including sections 12-115-109 and 12-115-115, and all applicable rules of the board.

7. Review and approve or disapprove requests for exceptions to the national electricalcode in unique construction situations where a strict interpretation of the code would result in unreasonable operational conditions or unreasonable economic burdens, as long as public safety is not compromised;

8. Conduct investigations and hearings and gather evidence in accordance with the provisions of sections 12-20-403 and 24-4-105;

9. Enter into reciprocal licensing agreements with the electrical board, or its equivalent,of another state or states where the qualifications for electrical licensing are substantially equivalent to licensure requirements in Colorado;

10. Find, upon holding a hearing, that an incorporated town or city, county, city andcounty, or qualified state institution of higher education fails to meet the minimum requirements of this article 115 if the local inspection authority, including a qualified state institution of higher education, has failed to adopt or adhere to the minimum standards required by this article 115 within twelve months after the board has adopted the standards by rule pursuant to this subsection (2);

11. Issue an order to cease and desist from issuing permits or performing inspectionsunder this article 115 to an incorporated town or city, county, city and county, or qualified state institution of higher education upon finding that the public entity or qualified state institution of higher education fails to meet the minimum requirements of this article 115 pursuant to subsection (2)(j) of this section;

12. Apply to a court to enjoin an incorporated town or city, county, city and county, orqualified state institution of higher education from violating an order issued pursuant to subsection (2)(k) of this section.

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 846, § 1, effective October 1; (2)(f) amended, (HB 19-1003), ch. 360, p. 3339, § 4, effective October 1.

Editor's note: (1) This section is similar to former § 12-23-104 as it existed prior to 2019.

(2) Before its relocation in 2019, this section was amended in HB 19-1003. Those amendments were superseded by the repeal and reenactment of this title 12, effective October 1, 2019. For those amendments to the former section in effect from August 2, 2019, to October 1, 2019, see HB 19-1003, chapter 360, Session Laws of Colorado 2019.